Parentage: ‘IBPRU41016’ is the result of a controlled cross-pollination breeding program carried out by the inventor at a commercial nursery in Wonga Park, Victoria, Australia. The objective of the breeding program was to develop a cultivar or cultivars with a compact growth habit, shorter inflorescences and large infertile bracts of various colors. In November of 2013, the inventor performed a controlled cross-pollination of the seed parent, Lavandula ‘Blueberry Ruffles’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,305), and Lavandula ‘Violet Lace’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,254), the pollen parent. Seed U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,254), the pollen parent. Seed from said cross was harvested, then germinated in February of 2014, and the resulting seedlings were grown to a mature size in a 140 mm nursery container in order to evaluate for a desirable combination of commercial characteristics such as compact plant size, large inflorescence and unique flower and bract color. In October of 2014, one candidate plant was observed to exhibit a unique combination of traits and, after confirmation of the distinctness and stability of the characteristics first observed, the inventor selected the new Lavandula cultivar, ‘IBPRU41016’, for commercial introduction.
Asexual Reproduction: Asexual reproduction of ‘IBPRU41016’ was first accomplished in February of 2015 by rooting softwood stem cuttings at a commercial nursery in Wonga Park, Victoria, Australia. Four successive generations have shown that the unique features of the instant cultivar are stable and reproduce true to type.